Individual serving coffee and tea brewing systems have become increasingly popular. The Keurig K-Cup® Brewing System, for example, uses pre-packaged disposable cups containing coffee grinds or tea leaves to brew single servings of coffee or tea. Although these systems are effective, there may be concerns with the waste generated by the disposable cups. Also, the use of the pre-packaged cups prevents the user from selecting and using freshly ground coffee or fresh tea leaves.
Attempts at using a single device for coffee and tea brewing have also presented challenges, for example, because of the different brewing processes involved. Coffee may be brewed by passing hot water continuously through the coffee grinds, while tea generally is brewed by steeping the tea leaves in hot water. Also, the use of the same spout to dispense coffee and tea may result in undesirable mixing of the coffee and tea flavors.